The insertion of those words means that if, for example, a lone parent has had a Childcare Crisis, there is a clear discretion to count that a "reasonable excuse".

I strongly believe that we should not wait for yet Another Childcare Crisis to happen, to which we would have to react by legislating very quickly.

The ICHA believes, "that there is a Crisis in Childcare fuelled by very significant examples of appalling childcare practice where the needs of the budget holder or performance targets override the interests of the child".

Any legislation that aims to tackle the Childcare Crisis, to increase maternal rates of employment and to generate long-term growth has to be welcomed, but over the last five years the Government have made it much harder for parents to find the childcare hours they need.